Ottawa, Sept. 6, 2007 - Three high school students from the Montreal area and Nunavut have been selected to join an international expedition this month to the High Arctic to investigate and raise awareness of the effects of climate change.
The youth expedition, which includes nine other high school students from the United Kingdom and Germany, is a project of the Cape Farewell non-profit organisation (www.capefarewell.com) in partnership with the British Council (www.BritishCouncil.org) to bring important issues to international attention at this critical time for our planet.
The Canadian students are:
- Amélie Tremblay-Martin of Chambly Academy in St. Lambert, QC.
- Shona Couturier of Heritage High School in St. Hubert, QC.
- Doriana Sammurtok of Chesterfield Inlet (Igluligaarjuk), Nunavut.
The 12 young people will live, work and help sail The Noorderlicht, a 100-year-old Dutch schooner, in a two-week voyage to research changing weather patterns and retreating glaciers north of the 79th Parallel to the extremes of Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic.
A launch ceremony, organised by the British Council in honour of the three Canadian students, was held Sept. 6 in Ottawa at the Museum of Nature. Following this ceremony, the students will leave to join the expedition, which will leave Norway Sept. 14 and return on Sept. 22.
The students will work alongside artist Dan Harvey, Professor Mark Maslin of University College London's Environment Institute and others to develop scientific and creative projects. With the help of filmmaker Colin Izod and others, the students will produce daily video reports, blogs, webcams and message boards sent live from The Noorderlicht to www.voyage.capefarewell.com and to screens at Southbank Centre in London.
``The projects these young people develop with their mentoring team will become an international educational resource,'' said Martin Rose, Director of the British Council in Canada.
``Young people from around the world are encouraged to communicate and interact with our team aboard The Noorderlicht through 21st Century technology. Climate change is a problem they will inherit and it will be up to their generation to solve it.''
Named after the rugged - and now ice-free - headland on the southern shore of Egger Island, Greenland, Cape Farewell brings artists, scientists and educators together to address and raise awareness about climate change. Created by artist David Buckland, Cape Farewell has led three expeditions to the High Arctic. The upcoming voyage will be Cape Farewell's first for international youth.
The British Council is pleased to partner with the Pembina Institute to link students across the country with the 12 students onboard the Nooderlicht. Connected and inspired by the webcasts and blogs from the expedition students, teachers and students in classrooms will conduct their own investigations and express the experience through art. Pembina Institute is a national organization building sustainable energy solutions through research, advocacy and education." GreenLearning is Pembina's flagship energy education program.
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation to promote education and cultural relations. It operates at arm's length from the British government.
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For information or to download images go to www.britishcouncil.org/canada.For further details or to arrange media availability for these outstanding young people, contact:
Rebecca Zalatan
Climate Change Programme Manager
British Council, Ottawa
613-364-6140
613-302-0880 mobile
613-569-1478 fax
Rebecca.zalatan@britishcouncil.org
Margret Brady
Climate Change Communications Officer
British Council, Ottawa
613-364-6237
613-301-5922 mobile
613-569-1478 fax
Margret.brady@britishcouncil.org